The Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and the Democratic presidential nominee, US Vice President Kamala Harris.
The stunning comeback of Donald Trump as the 47th US President has elicited mixed reactions among Kenyans.
While Democratic candidate Kamala Harris’s loss upset many Kenyans, especially women, the change of guard in the US was welcomed by others in equal measure, with reactions split along lines of ideology, economic interests, and perceptions of US-Africa relations.
And US ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman bore the brunt of Kenyans' rage, with a section of leaders and social media users saying her time was up.
While Narc Kenya party leader Martha Karua, the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya presidential running mate in the 2022 elections sympathised with Ms Harris for her loss, she noted that there were positive prospects for Trump’s win.
“As a woman, I am disappointed that Kamala Harris did not make it and I suspect that the race and gender card may have influenced the outcome,” Ms Karua told Nation in an interview on Wednesday.
She added: “…but as a Kenyan politician the immediate benefit of a Trump win is the prospects of Kenya getting a new US ambassador who will hopefully be non-partisan unlike the current one, who passes as an ally of the Kenya Kwanza regime.”
Ms Whitman had clashed with opposition leaders in Kenya, with Raila Odinga firing at her last year over remarks on the August 2022 elections.
Devolution conference
Speaking at the Devolution conference in August last year, Mr Odinga had warned her to keep off Kenya’s affairs, saying Kenya is not a US colony and should be left to handle its internal affairs.
"Tell the rogue ambassador Kenya is not the United States. Kenya is not a colony of the United States. Keep your mouth shut while you are here. Otherwise, we will call for your recall back to your country," Mr Odinga said.
President William Ruto would, however, defend her, saying the opposition ought to have some decorum and respect for themselves as they demand the same from others.
"I was imagining between the people who are orchestrating the destruction of property and sabotaging our economy and those working with us to create investment opportunities and capital for the people of Kenya, who is rogue?," Dr Ruto said.
In a Television interview barely three months after Kenya’s 2022 elections, Mr Odinga’s daughter Winnie also fired at the US, accusing it of influencing the outcome of the elections in favour of President Ruto.
She alleged that the Joe Biden-led nation meddled in Kenya's polls to deny his father victory in favour of President Ruto.
President Ruto was in May accorded a State visit to the US under President Biden, signalling the close ties the Kenya Kwanza administration has with the Democratic regime under outgoing president Biden.
On Wednesday, Ms Karua said she was optimistic that the new US administration under Trump will intervene and withdraw its funding to the Kenyan security forces in Haiti.
“I also hope the Haiti mission gets defunded. However, as Kenyans we must remember our internal governance issues will only be solved through our own efforts,” said Ms Karua.
Former Council of Governors Chairperson Anne Waiguru said: “As a believer in democracy, I must recognise and support the right of Americans to elect the person they believe best achieves their interest. Hence my congratulations go to President Trump for a great achievement for himself and the Republican Party.”
“Of course, it would have been historic for a woman to be President of America inter alia for the message it would send to women and girls everywhere that there is no ceiling they can’t burst. But the fact that she was her party’s candidate, and ran a very competitive campaign is no mean feat and contributes highly to the long journey towards ensuring women have as many chances as men to lead. I’m optimistic better days lie ahead,” Ms Waiguru who is also the Kirinyaga Governor said.
Unfortunate
ODM Secretary of Political Affairs Rozah Buyu described Ms Harris's loss to Trump as “unfortunate.”
“The world was looking up to this lady. If she won, it would have opened avenues for so many women in leadership. It would have motivated everybody hence the belief that women can do it,” Ms Buyu told Nation.
She said Ms Harris’s loss was a step backwards in regards to women's quest for leadership opportunities.
“Women have come from far and this was going to be icing on the cake, that indeed women can make it. It would have really helped women even in the next general election here in Kenya.
“However, as a party, we also feel that the role that America played in the last general election in Kenya, we thought they were too enthusiastic and played a bigger role than they should have played in determining who won that election,” added Ms Buyu.
The Kisumu West MP indicated that, as a party, they were concerned with the actions of the Biden administration regarding Kenya’s 2022 presidential election.
Laikipia Woman Rep Jane Kagiri said that the outcome of the US election speaks to one thing, “voters voted for the candidate they felt was speaking to their problems and their needs.”
“It would have been good to have a first woman POTUS, we can only state that the ceiling will certainly come down in the next election,” she said.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua also weighed in on the US election results, congratulating Trump.
“Congratulations President Donald Trump, for one of the greatest political come-backs of our generation. Your victory is clear proof that resilience and a never-say-die attitude will always triumph over obstacles on the path to your destiny,” Mr Gachagua posted on his X, formerly Twitter account.
Political analyst Martin Oloo however, warned that Kenyans need to stop celebrating Democrat’s loss in the US election contest on grounds that President Ruto would not find a footing under President Trump’s administration.
“The resemblance between Trump and our own Ruto is so real. They will agree more than they would have agreed even with Kamala, for example. So, Kenyans should stop celebrating, perhaps thinking that with Democrats out, this government will get out of favour,” Mr Oloo told Nation.
Mr Oloo noted that what remains critical “is the argument between decency, morality, good manners and absolute choice of a person who is ill-mannered, who does not respect others, abusive and condescending, that to me is the issue, and Americans have said they don’t care.”
“You can talk about values and whatever but they’d have somebody who is abusive, has criminal records and again on that one, they may not be alone because we know so many criminals running State apparatus.
“Democracy is over-celebrated. We are now in a place where we must admit democracy does not necessarily mean what we thought it meant during those good old days – when it meant good manners, respect for the rule of law and freedom of speech. It means you can be abusive, spread hate and still be okay.”
Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata said Kenyans were divided on the US election results because some think Trump might deport their kin in the US and that he is a “racist.”
“Others are moved by religion like myself and support his anti-abortion and free trade idea. I guess Kenyans should have a knack for understanding political trends. They tend to be hidden to the ordinary eye, but I think it's a little bit harder to uncover trends,” said Mr Kang’ata.
